Nicki's book blog

THE SUPPER CLUB (book 3 in the Smart Woman's Mystery Series) by Victoria Dowd-crime

Ursula Smart and her mother Pandora have a tendency for murder to follow them

around without them really doing anything other than being in the wrong place at

the wrong time- or is that the right time perhaps? This time they are invited to a

safari supper which involves going around different houses from the castle they

are staying in (Black Towers- note the “s” not the wine!) and there they meet

some rather eccentric characters. Ursula quickly finds that there are several

who together make the case of Cluedo. Those of a certain age will find several

puns and references to things from the post which I couldn't help smiling at.

This is a wonderful cozy crime series and each one works alone. Victoria is a

criminal barrister turned crime writer and most certainly has a sense of

not only how to plot a good story but also a wonderful sense of humour!

Larger than life characters,a plot with twists and turns and lots of smiles

along the way.

A fun read with a plot to make you think whilst smiling!

For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/

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THE SUPPER CLUB (Smart Woman’s Mystery Series #3)

The phones are out.

The roads have flooded.

There’s no way in or out.

And the murders have begun.

Ursula Smart and her mother, Pandora, are invited to a supper safari at Greystone Castle, with their ever-adventurous book club.

Their hosts are Lord and Lady Black, who bought their titles and have taken up residence in the castle at the edge of a picturesque Dartmoor village.

But the quaint, idyllic façade soon fades as festering resentments begin to surface. Ursula and Pandora sense all is not well at Greystone. And when the Midnight Gun fires, their suspicions are proved right.

Death is all around them in this ancient castle — in the priest hole, the murder hole, on the ducking stool.

The Smart women race to solve a seemingly impossible murder, even as the body count rises.

Who will be next?

A DARK, COMEDY WITH AN IMPOSSIBLE LOCKED-ROOM MURDER MYSTERY AT THE CENTRE.

Victoria Dowd’s brilliant whodunnit is perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Robert Thorogood, Agatha Christie, Anthony Horowitz, Faith Martin and Sophie Hannah.

ABOUT VICTORIA DOWD

Victoria Dowd is a criminal barrister-turned-crime writer. She lives with her husband and two children, splitting her time between London and Devon, where she indulges her passion for all things Agatha Christie. Her first book won the People’s Book Prize 2021.

PRAISE FOR VICTORIA DOWD:

“Ursula Smart is on waspish good form in this sequel to The Smart Woman’s Guide To Murder. Victoria Dowd juxtaposes compelling insights into psychological trauma with hilarious reflections on toxic relationships — all nicely wrapped in a satisfying mystery. Highly entertaining!” Margaret Murphy, bestselling author of Before He Kills Again

“I love Victoria Dowd’s style of writing, she is descriptive, funny and shows some acerbic wit. It makes the book enjoyable and a joy to read and the chapters flow by.” Zoe H.

“What a cozy murder mystery this book is. I didn't realise that this is the second book in the series but it does read well as a standalone.” Louise W.

“What is better than a traditional whodunnit? This takes the classic premise of a group of people forced together only to find murder and mystery abounding and adds a strong character base. The relationships and interactions are fascinating and could probably stand alone without the mystery element, which is also a great read. Agatha Christie would be proud to see her legacy here!” Louise G.

“If you like chilling and eerie descriptions with loads of goosebumps, do pick up this book.” Brenda C.

“A witty, clever and darkly delicious take on the country house murder genre. I relished the twists and turns that came at me faster than an Alpine switchback and the characters who are at times all too horribly familiar. Hugely enjoyable.” Amanda Lees, author of Selling Out

“This book was exactly what I needed! A breath of fresh air. A modern day cozy mystery where a group of despicable characters with deadly humor and sarcasm!” Helga H.

“A fun and quirky take on the classic whodunit mystery!” Lyndie D.

“I didn’t know what to expect from this novel but I adored it, and devoured it in a few hours . . . It bounces along and is thoroughly enjoyable, lots of wickedly astute moments from the most unsuspecting of characters. Please can I have more?” Aine T.

“What a fabulous whodunnit, that kept me gripped from the start . . . Spooky setting, creepy cast and twisty turny storylines make this book the perfect read.” Emma M.

“I was worried at first that it might be a bit too slow but after the first chapter, you are instantly thrown into the drama and this book is definitely full of it. I have different thoughts of who the killer was the whole way through, but I did not come close to working it out. I love the way the story was written.” Rebecca H.

ALSO BY VICTORIA DOWD

SMART WOMAN'S MYSTERY SERIES

Book 1: THE SMART WOMAN'S GUIDE TO MURDER

Book 2: BODY ON THE ISLAND

Book 3: THE SUPPER CLUB MURDERS

VICTORIA DOWD

After graduating from Cambridge, Victoria was a criminal law barrister on the London circuit for many years, where many of her cases were much stranger than fiction.

Victoria is now an award winning writer, having won the Go Gothic Short Story Award for 2019. She has had short fiction published in places such as Aesthetica: A Review of Contemporary Artists and was chosen as the runner up in The New Writer’s writer of the year award. Her work was Highly Commended by The Writers’ Forum and long-listed for The Willesden Herald International Short Story Competition. She has had short stories published in the BTS Literary and Arts Annual, Dream Catcher arts journal and Gold Dust Literary Magazine.

Victoria lives with her husband and two children. She writes full time, splitting her time between London and Devon, where she can indulge her passion for all things Agatha Christie.